Assuming no knowledge of chess beyond the rules, Maurice Ashley guides you on an inspirational journey through the world of chess tactics. He brings the pieces to life by examining their fundamental characteristics, and shows how their powers can be put to use to win pieces or give checkmate – the building-blocks upon which all chess skills are based.
About the Author
In 1999, Maurice Ashley became the first African-American to qualify for the elite Grandmaster title, an achievement that was widely reported in the international media, including Time magazine, USA Today, New York Times, Sports Illustrated and The Times (London). Ashley is one of the highest-profile figures in American chess, and has commentated on the game for ESPN and Channel Four Television (UK). He sees chess as playing a role in helping at-risk youth, and has coached a number of junior teams to victory in national championships, most famously the Raging Rooks of Harlem, whose achievement is planned to be the subject of a feature film. In 2003 he was named Grandmaster of the Year by the US Chess Federation.
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Reviews
“…this book is not only about explaining the utter basics, but also about having fun with chess and with analysing chess games. And that’s just why Ashley’s book is so nice. He wants his readers to enjoy chess rather than to be very good at it. And this, of course, is the most valuable skill of all.” – Arne Moll, www.chessvibes.com
“So many books for beginners start out with good intentions but very soon leave the beginner behind because they try to cover too much ground too quickly. Fortunately this book does not fall into this category. The seven basic skills really are quite basic but they are explained through a generous helping of diagrams and there are simple test positions to assess one’s progress and understanding. So full marks to the author for sticking to the basics and avoiding the pitfalls of more famous antecedents.” – Alan Sutton, En Passant
“American grandmaster Maurice Ashley has a florid, persuasive style of writing which turns the learning of basic ideas into good fun.” – John Saunders, British Chess Magazine